


A Beginning and an End

by neon



Series: Florist & Merc AU [4]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24928258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neon/pseuds/neon
Summary: Aerith is a florist. Cloud is a mercenary. (AU, Established Relationship)Cloud finally stumbled, shoulder smacking the rock wall hard and impact shedding more blood around his done feet.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Series: Florist & Merc AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798867
Comments: 8
Kudos: 41





	A Beginning and an End

**Author's Note:**

> The initial set-up for this cottagecore AU is:  
> \- Most main events in canon never happened, or never involved Cloud or Aerith.  
> \- Aerith is still a Cetra, but no one ever discovers that exact fact, including her.  
> \- Cloud and Aerith live in the same house as Aerith's in FF7R, but it's not in Sector 5.  
> \- Cloud and Aerith are in a relationship.  
> \- Aerith is a florist.  
> \- Cloud is a mercenary.

Cloud finally stumbled, shoulder smacking the rock wall hard and impact shedding more blood around his done feet.

He hissed from sliding down the rock to sit. He meant to clutch his side tighter, only to find the usual strength of his hand replaced by… nothing. By weakness. And warmth replaced by chill, even though his hand was covered in fresh blood. Not good.

He’d been stupid. Heard that Gorgers roved in swarms. Even though he’d only seen the one right off, he’d sheathed his damn sword, and razor claws had torn.

So stupid. Barely a mercenary, already a poser.

He couldn’t claim to be surprised, really. Like he could have been anything more than a SOLDIER, after all. Well, he grimly thought, At least the monsters’re dead too.

He didn’t know where he was. Some dirt road, some cliffs. Middle of nowhere. He laid down on his side and cast his eyes to the sky, past pale flowers he saw growing valiantly through the rock wall’s cracks.

Maybe turning mercenary hadn’t been such a lost cause. At least he got to die under a blue vault, instead of a steel ceiling.

* * *

Nothing was lucid when he opened his eyes again; when he felt a hand that wasn’t his on his side; when he saw a basket fallen over on the ground inches in front of him, having spilled a dozen or so flowers. More flowers than he’d seen in his lifetime.

He tried to turn and see who the hand belonged to. He caught sight of the sole of a buckled boot, the hem of a pink skirt, before he winced and his eyes rolled into the back of his head again.

" _Ugh…_ "

"Hey, are you alive?" A girl’s voice was asking him. Then speaking to herself, "… _Please_ tell me you’re alive."

_Shit_ , he answered. Was he? "You tell me…"

He strained to keep his eyes focused forward. Did manage to roll his head and see who the hand belonged to.

A girl, probably as young as him. She was… pretty. She had a ribbon in her hair. The more Cloud was awake, the less sure he actually was.

She knelt over him, one hand planted on the ground, the other planted on his side. She leaned to help him catch her eye as his head rolled again. He watched her mouth flatten into a determined line.

"You are," the stranger answered, absolutely firmly. _Huh…_ he said. He immediately knew one thing about this stranger - despite appearances, she was tough.

Probably shouldn’t have, but he raised his head to finally take in the damage of his side. He blinked at the unexpected glow of green light. Dust, or something like it, drifted out of the girl's hand, into his wounds.

"The-the hell…?"

As alien as her hand looked, Cloud had the floating thought that it also looked elegant, followed by another thought - that that sort of hand shouldn’t be stained by blood. Especially his.

"Just hold still, okay? I… I _think_ I’m almost done."

"You… _think_?" He tugged his stare free of her hand and narrowed his eyes. "Do you even know what you’re doing?"

"Hey, a little more gratitude from the invalid would be appreciated, here." Her mouth formed a moue, puffing with annoyance. "I haven’t actually done this that often, okay? It’s not like I come across half-dead people every day."

"…How’d you even find me?"

Her eyes widened - was it that weird of a question? - before she didn’t answer, "You’ll be patched up in no time."

And unbelievably, he was. He sat up, carefully, testing the return of his strength. Her hand was still on him, to steady him just in case, he supposed.

He nodded at her, and she understood that silent affirmation, taking her hand back. Wringing it in her other hand - conscious of the bloodstains on them.

Guilt made Cloud’s shoulders droop from their habitual shielding around his ears. He pointed out, _Uh, there’s - some grass. Over there._ She answered, _Oh_ , like that was a good idea. She wiped her hands across the patch of grass, turning them over when she was done. She returned Cloud’s look.

"Seriously," he asked, "How’d you find me?"

"…Do you really want to know?"

Why was she being so weird about it? "Yeah."

"Okay." She pointed over his shoulder at the flowers he’d seen growing through the rocks.

"The flowers told me."

He didn’t get it. But he knew she wasn’t lying.

"…Really?"

Her eyes were round as she stared at him. "Yeah, actually." But bright. Green, too, Cloud noticed.

He remembered the other flowers from her basket. He brought his legs under him and managed to push himself up, and knelt again a few inches over to start picking them up.

The girl said, _Oh, thanks_. She joined him, folding her dress under her thighs, sitting a little closer to him than he’d expected. He replied dryly, "Least this invalid can do," making her grin, and liking that he made her grin.

She batted at her skirt after straightening up, taking the basket handle Cloud offered back to her and balancing it on her upturned wrist. Her head dipped toward her shoulder. Mirth shone in her eyes.

"Now, c’mon. Can’t have you walking back into civilization looking like that."

He looked down at himself. Grudgingly saw her point. He lifted his head again, staring at her once more. He didn’t think he’d really stopped.

"Who are you?"

"Just a florist." She relented, answering without teasing this time, "Name’s Aerith. Yours?"

His jaw tipped up.

"Cloud Strife."

"Cloud Strife," she repeated, the name much softer when it came from her. He felt his face warm - incredible, since the blood loss. "Nice to meet ya," Aerith said.

* * *

Cloud untied the harness around Gil’s beak and spread his arms for the chocobo’s investigation of his empty pockets, smirking. "Sorry, Aerith’s the one who spoils you."

_Kweh._ Gil pivoted away from Cloud in clear dismissal. He trotted off within the fenced enclosure, feathers bustling, clawed feet brushing past flowers on his way toward a blossoming tree and its shade. This was why Cloud preferred gil as payment - though Aerith had come up with the chocobo’s name to try and get Cloud to love it "just as much", she’d said.

Cloud was walking back toward the fence, gathering the harness by wrapping it around his fists as he went, when the episode came on.

His ears rung, though he still heard the distant, alarmed cry, _Kweeh!_ The straps unravelled and slapped to the ground at his feet. When Cloud pulled his hand from his nose, it was wet with blood.

He couldn’t make it to the fence before he dropped.

When he came to, Aerith had his head pillowed on her lap, corner of her dress in her hand wiping the blood that covered the lower half of his face.

The inside of Cloud's mouth felt dry to him. He croaked, "H-how long was I…?"

"I think just a few minutes," she told him.

"How’d you…?"

"You have to ask?" She gazed worryingly down into his eyes. "I came as soon as they told me."

His head stung when he sat up. He clutched it, wincing. From the corner of his eye he saw Aerith’s hands had reached out to him, but they never touched since she pulled them back in.

Then a green light started glowing around both sides of Cloud’s face. He blinked, but stayed where he was, dropping his own hand. Dropping his head, when he realized what Aerith was doing. Aerith stood on her knees behind him, concentrating.

Finally Cloud had to say something. "You already know, it’s not gonna work." He turned his face to look over his shoulder. She’d sat back down on her calves. Cast her eyes down. Obviously despondent.

Because there was nothing her powers could do about a SOLDIER's cellular degradation. Not even a former SOLDIER's. No matter how hard she tried.

"It’s not fair," she said. Cloud stared widely. "Why do I even have this power? I can’t do anything-"

She cut her own words short. Stared down at her limp, upturned palms.

"Hey…" Cloud turned fully to her. She wouldn’t look back up. Cloud was at a loss. But he gathered her hands in his, so they stared at them together. "You’ve helped a ton of people with your power."

"But I can’t help _you_."

He shrugged indifferently. "I made a stupid choice when I was a teenager. I became a SOLDIER. This is my fault. Not yours."

Aerith shook her head. "It’s Shinra’s. I hate them, you know."

"Me too. Why I left."

Sorrow still strained her brow upward.

"Listen…" Cloud moved to sit on his haunches instead of his knees, perpendicular to Aerith, taking one of his hands back in the process. He lifted a knee, and rested his elbow on it. "I ain't dead yet."

Aerith’s grip squeezed the hand she still had for herself. Cloud passed his eyes sidelong over her, before he faced forward. "We gotta make the most of this moment. Right?"

Aerith’s head stayed bowed, until finally, she nodded. Some of her usual energy returning in the motion. "'Kay," Cloud said, standing up. Pulling her up strongly to join him.

"Cloud?" He hummed so she knew he was listening. "No matter what, I’m glad I met you."

**Author's Note:**

> @highfivestrife (nsfw) if you want to witness my obsession with FF7R


End file.
